What’s in the news about food choices
- Adults drinking less alcohol, more nonalcoholic drinks on offer
- FODMAPs may cause gluten sensitivity symptoms
- For people who can’t chew well – printed pureed food
Here are links and summaries for recent news and opinion about food choices.
Call for UK restaurants to label halal meat clearly May-9-14 London Evening Standard
Restaurants and retailers today came under pressure from David Cameron to make it clearer to customers whether they are being served halal meat. The Prime Minister suggested a national labelling scheme could be introduced if stores fail to give consumers more information on how meat was slaughtered.
Decrease in adult beverage consumption leads to proliferation of nonalcoholic drinks May-13-14 Nation’s Restaurant News
Across most of the world, the consumption of alcohol is falling. Operators need to find alternative beverages that don’t just involve fizz and sugary fruit juices, which are often the only options. Mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails) are increasingly popular. There has also been a surge in the sale of nonalcoholic beer.
Grocery store launches paleo promotion May-14-14 New Hope 360
As the paleo way of eating continues to gain traction, one retailer has launched a paleo promotion to highlight its natural foods selection.
Sensitive to gluten? A carb in wheat may be the real culprit May-22-14 NPR: The Salt
The number of people who are truly non-celiac gluten sensitive is probably very small. People who say they feel better on a gluten-free diet are more likely sensitive to a specific kind of carbohydrate in the wheat — not the gluten protein. That carbohydrate, called fructan, is a member of a group of carbs that gastroenterologists say is irritating the guts of a lot of people, causing gas, diarrhea, distention and other uncomfortable symptoms. Altogether, these carbs are called fermentable oligo-di-monosaccharides and polyols, or the cumbersome acronym FODMAPs.
Food’s water footprint May-27-14 The Food Journal
It takes water to produce food. With agriculture using approximately 70% of the world’s accessible freshwater to produce the food and fiber we need to survive, food manufacturers and retailers are growing more aware of the necessity to incorporate a water footprint analysis into their sustainability plans.
Many Millennials leave primary channel to shop dairy, deli, bakery Jun-1-14 Supermarket News
Sometimes Millennials shop fresh categories in other mainstream stores, but for categories like specialty cheeses and bakery they are seeking out specialty stores. Half of Millennials leave their primary store to buy specialty cheese.
Printing pureed food for elderly dysphagia sufferers Jun-2-14 Food Management
The European Union is funding a consortium to help further develop 3D-printed “smoothfood” that uses pureed food to create a more appetizing-looking meal for elderly patients living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities who have trouble chewing and swallowing.
Panera to remove artificial ingredients from all food by 2016 Jun-3-14 HuffPost Business
Panera says it will remove artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives from its food by 2016, a reflection of the growing distaste people are showing for such ingredients.
FDA to update mercury in seafood guidance for pregnant women Jun-3-14 Food Safety News
FDA will be updating guidance about what pregnant women should and shouldn’t eat based on the mercury levels in various species. The agency does not intend to require labels.
Majority of US households have someone with diet restrictions Jun-10-14 Food Manufacturing
Most Americans (87%) say they’re making an effort to eat healthy – and a majority say they or someone in their household monitor or restrict their intake of a nutritional component like gluten or sugar, according to a new Harris Poll. Six in ten American adults (60%, a slight uptick from 57% in 2011) say they restrict at least one nutritional component from their diet.
FDA looks to redefine food allergens Jun-10-14 Food Business News
The draft guidance would expand the definition to include “a food ingredient that contains protein derived from these foods.” The expanded definition excluded any highly refined oil derived from a major food allergen and any ingredient derived from such highly refined oil.
More parents choosing organic for their kids Jun-16-14 PR Newswire
The Organic Trade Association (OTA)’s U.S. Families’ Organic Attitudes & Beliefs 2014 Tracking Study, a survey of more than 1,200 households in the United States with at least one child under 18, found that 8/10 American families have bought organic products one or more times in the past two years. In nearly half of those families, concern about their children’s health is a driving force behind that decision.
Children’s gluten-free predicted as area for growth Jun-30-14 BakeryAndSnacks.com
More parents are introducing their babies to food via a special diet, creating a demand for gluten-free baby products like porridge and biscuits, according to market research firm Mintel
Pasteurization without the heat Jul-9-14 Food Processing
Cold pasteurization may be a regulatory non-starter, but kinder, gentler treatments are being commercialized, providing processors alternatives to conventional thermal treatments.
Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s offer new menus options – Trim It. Low Carb It. Veg It. Jul-10-14 Business Wire
Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s launched their “Other Side” websites featuring their not-so-secret menu of lower carb, lower calorie or lower fat options.
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